title: Physical features, physical attractiveness, and psychological adjustment among alcohol abuse inpatients.
abstract: Relations between specific physical features, attractiveness, and psychological adjustment of alcoholic inpatients were examined. Measures were obtained during the first week of admission and 6 weeks later (within 2 weeks of discharge). The nine physical features assessed formed three factors: face, facial expression, and body. The face factor was more strongly related to history of substance abuse than was either of the other factors. Further, the results suggested that alcoholism-related face features may be responsible for the documented relation between ratings of overall physical attractiveness and ratings of adjustment obtained at admission to a chemical dependency program; however, positive changes in body features less specifically related to a history of substance abuse (posture and grooming) are associated with counselors' ratings of improved patient adjustment over time.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research, University of Southern California, Pasadena 91101.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sussman
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Charlin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freeland
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vernan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alford
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001504:Beauty; D001828:Body Image; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations